10 Games To Make Best Use of Xbox 360 Backward Compatibility on Xbox One

Xbox 360 backward compatibility on the Xbox One opens a door to a world of gaming possibilities. But with thousands of games to choose from, which games are worth revisiting first? To narrow down the choices, we're focusing on games that have new generation follow-ups either out now or in the near future. Furthermore, these are games that (at the time of this writing) do not have ports or remastered editions announced yet for the Xbox One.

The Mass Effect Trilogy

Since Mass Effect Andromeda releasing in 2016, you'll have plenty of time to relive the epic trilogy that started it all, beginning with the original Mass Effect. Although the finale may still be controversial to some, the trilogy's experience as a whole is still generally regarded as one of the best in gaming history. Plus, considering all the different classes, decisions, and Paragon/Renegade alignment possibilities, there still some worth in revisiting these games.

Fallout 3 and New Vegas

Considering how Fallout 3 ends, there is a strong chance that we'll see a connection between in and Fallout 4. What better way to prepare for that possibility than to start wandering the wasteland in search of violence, glory, and Nuka Cola? By revisiting Fallout 3 and New Vegas, you'll better be accustomed to its gameplay, so you won't be stuck trying to remember which perks work best together when Fallout 4 releases in the fall.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 1 & 2

We can't be certain if Call of Duty: Black Ops 3 will mark an end to the trilogy (which is sort of a quadrilogy if you count World at War), but we do know that the best way to prepare for the game is to play through the first parts to get a better sense of the story and its characters. The events of Black Ops 3 relate directly to what happens in part 2, and so on. See what it took to go from drone warfare to drone and cyborg warfare.

Batman: Arkham Asylum and City

Watch Gotham and the Batman Arkham series evolved by playing all the games back-to-back. Players begin with the dark and claustrophobic hallways of Arkham Asylum, and then their world expands with Arkham City, where hallways are replaced with darkened streets and mayhem. All the events of the previous games help build to what happens in Arkham Knight, especially Joker's demise. This is one trilogy that is worth revisiting in its entirety to catch all the little nuances that happen in the third chapter.

Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition

To better understand the events that occur in Mortal Kombat X, check out Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition. It's the game that completely reboots the original plot into one mega sized fighting game that starts with the Mortal Kombat tournament and concludes with a plot to merge Earthrealm with Outworld. A lot of bodies drop between the beginning and the end, creating one blood-soaked lead-in to the 10th game.

Dishonored

It has been almost three years since Dishonored first released, giving fans one of the best steampunk-themed supernatural assassination games around. Dishonored 2 releases in the early half of 2016, and will feature Emily Kaldwin as a fallen empress turned killer. To fully understand her rise to power, fans should revisit the previous game and see how Corvo got his vengeance on. What lessons did he pass on to a young Emily? Was it all chaos and blood, or did he take the high road? We don't know if decisions made in the first game will have any impact on the sequel, but better safe than sorry, right?

Deus Ex: Human Revolution Director's Cut

Humanity saw a cybernetic renaissance during the events of Human Revolution, but the golden age will be long over by the time the events of Humanity Divided start. Play the story from the beginning to truly understand what led to the mechanical apartheid, and why the augmented are treated as second class citizens. With all the events that come packed into the cyberpunk thriller, getting a little refresher on previous events could go a long way towards preparing you for what's to come. Just remember, it's not the end of the world, but you can see it from here.

Just Cause 2

We're pretty certain that there will be no connection between Just Cause 2 and 3, but that's no reason to hold back from causing a ton of mayhem. You play as Rico Rodriguez, and your mission to seek out and kill your one time friend and mentor, who has disappeared on the island paradise of Panau. It's a beautiful place with plenty of scenic locations ready to be blown up. It's a great big violent playground to check out before Just Cause 3 throws more at you in December.

Mirror's Edge

Fans have been waiting a very long time for a follow-up to the free-running Mirror's Edge, and their wishes will be filled when Mirror's Edge Catalyst releases in February. While waiting, fans should warm up with the original Mirror's Edge and get to leaping from tall buildings and karate chopping armed guards in the throat.

Gears of War Trilogy

Yes, the first Gears of War game is being remade into Gears of War Ultimate Edition for the Xbox One, but that's just one out of three games. To get the full story in time for the release of Gears of War 4 this fall, you have to turn to the originals, which are only available on the Xbox 360 right now. It just so happens that Gears of War 3 will be available through the Games with Gold program this month, so that's one that's already taken care of for subscribers.